Knock Three Times
by ATTHS
Summary: Where the "knock three times" comment Mulder made in Plus One, may have originated.


The drive from the airport to the towns where they were due to investigate their cases, was sometimes long. Very long. They discussed things as they drove, many things over the many miles they covered. Music helped, but often the arguments over said music selection was even more fun.

They both liked older music, but sometimes his choice made her roll her eyes and hers made him sigh so loudly, she could not hear the music any longer. When that happened, silence would fill the car as the music was shut off. Silence that is, until Mulder began to ramble again, unable to remain quiet for too long.

One night, on an extremely long drive to the motel, they were both feeling rather punchy. The radio was set to an oldies station and nearly every song was a favorite. They sang along loudly, both of them laughing at how terrible the other sounded when the lyrics were screamed as opposed to said nicely.

"Oh, hang on," Mulder said, turning the radio up and shushing her. "Oh, this is a good one." She smiled at him and nodded, dancing in her seat as the song started.

_Hey, girl, whatcha doin' down there?_

_Dancing alone every night while I live right above you_

_I can hear your music playin'_

_I can feel your body swayin'_

_One floor below me, you don't even know me, I love you_

_Oh my darlin'_

_Knock three times on the ceiling if you want me_

_Mmm, twice on the pipe if the answer is no_

_Oh my sweetness_

_Means you'll meet me in the hallway_

_Whoa, twice on the pipe means you ain't gonna show_

He looked at her with a grin as he finished pounding three times on the roof of the car and she laughed, her eyes happy.

_If you look out your window tonight_

_Pull in the string with the note that's attached to my heart_

_Read how many times I saw you_

_How in my silence I adored you_

_And only in my dreams did that wall between us come apart_

_Oh my darlin'_

_Knock three times on the ceiling if you want me_

_Mmm, twice on the pipe if the answer is no_

_Whoa my sweetness_

_Means you'll meet me in the hallway_

_Whoa, twice on the pipe means you ain't gonna show_

"God, Missy listened to this song so many times. So many good memories," she laughed as she hit the dashboard three times, still dancing.

_Whoa, I can hear the music playing_

_I can feel your body swayin'_

_One floor below me you don't even know me, I love you_

_Oh my darlin'_

_Knock three times on the ceiling if you want me_

_Whoa, twice on the pipe if the answer is no (I love you, I love you, I love you) _

_Oh my sweetness_

_Means you'll meet me in the hallway_

_Mmm, twice on the pipe means you ain't gonna show_

"_I love you, I love you, I love you_," Scully sang once more as the song ended, giggling as she did. "That's always been my favorite part. It was where Missy and I would laugh and fall onto her bed that we'd been jumping and dancing on, watching ourselves singing in her vanity mirror."

"I'm sure your mother loved that."

"Hmmm, I'm sure."

"_Oh my darlin'_," he belted out and she laughed, rolling the window down and singing along with him. "_Knock three times on the ceiling if you want me_. _Mmm, twice on the pipe if the answer is no_. _Whoa my sweetness." _They both hit the roof of the car three times. "_Means you'll meet me in the hallway. Whoa, twice on the pipe." _The dashboard was given two hits. "_Means you ain't gonna shooooow_!"

They laughed and quieted down as the next few songs played, but none to the enthusiasm as _Knock Three Times. _Not too much longer, they thankfully pulled up to the motel, their tiredness becoming overwhelming.

Keys received, bags taken from the trunk, they stood outside their rooms, unlocking the doors. He hummed the song as he did, glancing over at her, seeing her small smile, before she stepped into the room, closing the door without saying a word.

He opened his door and turned on the light, dropped his bag, took off his shoes, his coat and then his jacket, everything falling to the floor. He used the bathroom, still humming under his breath, smiling as he looked at himself in the mirror, imagining Scully and Melissa singing and jumping on the bed, happy and laughing.

Turning out the bathroom light, he came back into the room. Seeing they had a connecting door, he unlocked and opened his side as he was wont to do. He turned the television on low as he undressed to his undershirt and boxers, throwing his clothes onto the chair.

Shutting off the light, he pulled the blankets back and laid down, so tired, he knew he would be asleep quickly.

_Knock. Knock. Knock. _

He sat up as he heard his door creak open slightly, and then Scully's head came from around the side of it.

"Goodnight, Mulder," she said quietly and he grinned.

"Goodnight, Scully," he said just as quietly and he saw her smile back.

As she stepped away, pulling the door closed to how he had it, he heard her humming softly, and he grinned as he lay back down.

"_Knock three times on the ceiling if you want me_…" he whispered, knowing a new form of communication had been created between them.

Over the years, this communication was used many times. Sometimes it was used to signal that food was in the others room, or a word was needed when the other was available, and an "all clear" warning as there had been accidental walk-ins when the other was changing.

Later, it became a knock on the wall, meaning "I need you" and then "I want you." He lived for those knocks, not because she used them only when she desperately needed him, but because she knew she could. She knew that if she knocked, he would be there, in whatever capacity she needed, without question.

"Hmm," he hummed, her head on his chest, her fingers tracing over his heart as they lay in a pullout sofa in a motel room. Older, wiser, but feeling like his old self. He kissed the top of her head and laughed softly.

"What's funny?" she asked, wrapping her arm around him.

"Not funny, just thinking about something," he said, running his fingers up and down her naked back.

"And what's that?" she asked, kissing his chest.

"_Knock three times on the ceiling if you want me_," he sang softly and she laughed into his skin. He closed his eyes and breathed in her scent.

"I didn't _exactly_ knock…"

"And you didn't need to, I knew what you wanted."

"That you did. Hmm…" she moaned and he felt it to his soul. "I _really _wanted it."

"Again, I might add," he teased and she hummed a laugh.

"Well, it _has_ been a long time."

"Fucking hell, don't I know it," he scoffed and she laughed again. "But worth the wait. Scully, you have been and always will be worth the wait." She breathed against him and he waited nervously, hoping it was not too much too soon.

"As are you, Mulder," she whispered, and he let out the breath he had been holding, pulling her closer.

"If I… wanted this again… how should I let you know?" she asked, a teasing tone in her voice. He smiled, opening his eyes as she lifted her head off his chest and looked into his eyes.

"Oh, I think you know," he said, pushing her hair back behind her ear, humming the song as he watched a beautiful smile light up her face.

"Yeah, I do know," she said, kissing him before laying her head back on his chest. "I've always known."

"Good. But it's always good to be reminded."

"Oh… yes it is," she breathed and they both laughed, knowing this had been a big step and sometimes a reminder was what was needed.

That, and knocking three times, to let the other know they were wanted.


End file.
